iROC Lecture Series

Meet the Mastodons of Orange County

On Thursday, February 20, Sr. Cecelia Murray, OP will
present our next iROC seminar: Meet the Mastodons of Orange
County.

While volunteering at Museum Village in Monroe, Sr. Cecilia
researched and wrote an article about its resident mastodon, Harry,
whose remains were found in Harriman decades ago.

In the process, she also studied what life was like in the
Hudson Valley when the 10-ton mastodons thrived. Most people have
no idea that Orange County is the world’s largest mastodon
graveyard, but in actuality, we live in a vast mastodon cemetery
that has already yielded 70 skeletons, with the possibility of
discovering more.

Sr. Cecilia will describe how this summer project became an
avocation. She will introduce the “Mastodons of Orange County” –
not only Harry, but Sugar, Warren, Otis, and others, too – and
explain why the local environment suited these creatures so
well.

Cecilia Murray, OP, teaches in the Division of Philosophy and
Religious Studies at MSMC. Her presentation will take place on
Thursday, February 20 at 4 pm in the MSMC Library, Dominican Center
Room 218.

Refreshments will be served. All are
welcome.

For more information about this or any of the iROC
presentations, or to volunteer as an iROC speaker, please contact
Dr. Doug Robinson, assistant professor of biology and coordinator
of the iROC program, at 845-569-3648 or douglas.robinson@msmc.edu.